Continuously-indicating hydrostatic gauge



i May 7 192,9 M. M. TUTERINGTON I 1,711,507

, CONTINUUSLY INDICATING HYDROSTATIC GAUGE Filed oct. 21, '1924UUUUUUUUUUU UUIUUUUUUUU L Patented 7, 119.29. I

UNITED. STAT Es PATENT ol-TICE.

MORRIS M. TITTEBINGTON, or BNooxLN, NEW Yong, AssIGNoB, im MESNE AS-SIGNMENTS, To PIONEER INSTRUMENT COMPANY, INcoIzonATEn, or BRooxLYN,

I NEW YORK, A. CORPORATION NEW YORK.

COANTINUOUSLY-N'DICATING HYDROSTATIC GAUGE.

appucationmea octoberai, 1924... serial No. 744,950.

i This invention relates to continuouslyindicating hydrostatic gauges ofthe type disclosed in my copending application Serial N0.i743,927 filedOctober' 16,1924, and lhas `for one of its objects the provisionfof1mproved means for regulating the injection of fair into the gaugesystem. Further objects are to provide improved means for protecting theindicating mechanism from damage by the prevention of excessivepressures, and for effecting a positive seal between the air system .andthe air injection means when the latter' is not being operated.

claims.

Other objectsand advantages will appear as the invention is hereinafterdisclosed.

-While practical embodiments -of this invention are shown in thedrawings and disclosed in these specifications, it will be understoodthat various modifications may be resorted to'within the scope of theappended` Referring to the drawings which illustrate what I nowconside-r preferred forms of the invention Figurel 1 represents anelevation, partly in section, of a gauge, pump and associated parts, j

Figure 2 isv an elevation of' the tank the level of-the liquid in vwhichis t0 beindi cated, andV Figure 3 shows a frontview of the gauge andpump, X Figure 4 representsbne of .the pressure controlelements removedfrom the balance of the mechanism and shown on a larger scale forgreater clearnessl Figure 5 `is al' section taken at 5 5 of Fi ure 4.

eferring tb-the dra\vings,the gauge 11 comprises a case 12, a flexiblechamber 13, and means for transnitting movements of the flexible chamberto hand *14 which moves Arelatively to a dial A15 for the purpose ofgiving indications. Associated with the gauge 11 is a pump 20. This pumpcomprises a barrel 21 which is closed at one end by a cap 22.Reciprocatively contained .within the barrel -21' is Ia plunger 23consisting of a fiexible cup 24 which isheld be tween retainers 25 and26. Slidably passing through the center of `,the plunger 234 is a rod 27to the outer end of which is' attached a knob 28 and to the 'inner endof which is attached a screw Between the retainer 37 having a hollowcylindrical extension 38.

A small hole 39 is provided in the center of the plug, and a radial hole40 communicates from this to the exterior of the capsule. Within thehollow cylinder 38 is placed a small compression .spring 41 and acompound valve 42 as shown. The spring and valve are retained by a ring43 which is spun into the end of the hollow cylindrical extension 38.The edge of the hole 39 forms'a circular seat into which fits a smallvalve pin 44 forming partof the compound valve 42. At

the other end of the' valve is a cone which fits into the hole in ring 4In'the central part of the compound valve 42 are two disks .f 45. .Thesedisks have a dual function, acting as guides for the valve 42 and aspressure plates affected by flow of air along the axis of the valve 42.Certain/portions 46 gf these disks are cut away to reduce the resistanceoffered by the disks to passage of air past them. y By suitablyproportioning these cutout portionsuthe resistance to 'flow may be givenany desired value.

When the capsule 36 is screwed into the chamber 33 the outer edge of thecylindrical extension 38 seats into the chamber 33, and the outer end ofthe threaded plug 37 is sealed with shellac orother sealing material.The space around the cylindrical extension 38 therefore forms a tightconnection from the passage '40 to the tube 34.

In the bottom of the tank 50, the level of the liquid in which is to bemeasured is a chamber 51 which is connected by a tube 52' to the nipple16 on theagaugecase "12;

The operation of the v'system as a simple hydrostatic gauge is as"follows, assuming` 4that theA entire system is initially full of air: Asliquid is poured into the tank 50 it rises in chamber 517 and compressesthe air contained in the system in accordance with the les hydrostatichead of the liquid. This pressure is therefore transmitted to the gaugeand the latter may be calibrated so that it .will indicate the level ofthe liquid in inches, galloljs', pounds or other function of pressurehead as may be desired.

If the maintenance of a constant amount of air in the system could beassured, the gauge would continue to indicate the level of the liquidcorrectly at all times. However, experience has shown that variousfactors contribute to make it difficult or impossible to maintain theair in the systemwithout auxiliary means. Changes in temperature,4changes `in pressure, minute leaks and other factors tend to reduce theamount of air inthe system and to thereby reduce the indication of thegauge and to render it undependable as a quantative indicator of theliquid level. v

lIn accordance with the present invention, means are provided forreplenishing the air in the system to compensate for losses due to thefactors which have been recited. The operation of the air replenishingmechanism is generally similar in principle to that disclosed in mycopending application in that,

by means of the pump 20, air is forced into the system. Novel means areprovided forv limiting the pressure and rate of flow of the air enteringthe system, and for preventing flow back from the system to the airinjecting means.

vThe pump is operated by manually pulling out the rod 27 by means of theknob 28.

This pulls back the plunger 23 against the spring 30. On this stroke theflexible cup 24 permits flow of air around-its periphery. When the knob28 is released the spring 3() returns the plunger 23 and rod 27 to theiroriginal positions. On this stroke the flexible cup 24 expands againstthe wall of the cylinder and revents the escape of vair past it. Pushing1n on the knob 28 and rod 2,7 fhas no effect on the operation of thepump as the .rod is free to slide through the plungerin this direction.This makes it impossible for excessive pressures to be imposed even inthe pump barrel by vpushing in on the knob 28.

Flow of air frv'om the pump to the gauge and tube line is controlled bythe triplefunction valve in the capsule 36,k With the pump in its normalinoperative position with the plunger at the end of its stroke, thespring 30 acting through the plunger -23 holds the valve 42 at the endof `its stroke with the valvepin 44 closing the 'small 'hole 39 andthereby sealing the connection between pump and gauge. As the knob 28 ispulled out in starting to operate the pump the plunger 28 is pulled awayfrom the valve 42 and the spring 41 forces the valve 42 to the other endof its stroke,.openg hole 39 and closing the hole in ring 43, thussealing of the disks 45, through the hole 39, through the radial hole40, around the cylindrical eiztension 38 of the capsule 3G and into thetube lines 34 and 52.

v lhe rate` at Which air reaches the tube lines is controlled by theaction of the valve 42. higher than desired for the particularapparatus, the valve pin 44 is forced into hole 39 by the force of theair on the end of valve ,'42 and on disks 45. Spring 41, however, exertssutlicient pressure to prevent the 4complete closing of hole 39, withthe resultant regulation-of the rate of flow of the air into the tubesystem.

As spring 30 is relatively strong 'so that it may have sufficient powerto operate the plunger 23, it holds valve pin 44 very tightly in thehole 39 and therefore effects a positive seal between the tube 34 andthe pum 20.

I have thus provided an improved ydrostatic gauge system whereby thelevel of liquid may bel continuously and correctly indicated, withimproved means for replenishing the airisupply in such systems,Aimproved means for preventing such replenishment being accompanied byexcessivepressures, and improved means for effecting a seal between thegauge system and the air replenishing means. l

Having thus disclosed and described my invention and explained itspurpose, what I lclaim as new and desire to protect by Letters If thepressure in the barrel 2l is and means regulating the llow of air into Ysaid pressure-conveying means comprising a valve chamber,a valve memberreciprocably contained 1n said chamber and adapted.

when in one extreme position, to close said l and thepressure-conveying'means, resilient means for holding said valve memberin the first named positiomsaid resilientl means adapted to be overcomeby pressure due to the engagement ofthe air-injector means with-.fthe`valve' member'vvhichrpressure is sufficient to hold said-valve memberin the other of said extreme .positions Ivvhen said manually operabledevice 1s not bemg operated. j

2. A liquid-level in icating 4system comprising in combination :V apressure-responfsive, indicating device, pressure-conveying meanssubjecting said device tothe pressurehead of the liquid whose level 1sto be indicated, spring operated means -for injecting ber to preventflow of air between the chamber and the pressure-conveying means, saidvalve member having two valve closing surfaces and a guide portionlocated between said surfaces, and a resilient member arranged to pressagainst one end of said valve chamber and agamst said guide portion.

vio

3. A liquid-level indicating systeml comprising in combination: apressure-responsive indicating device, pressure-conveying meanssubjecting said device to the pressurehead of the liquid Whose level isto be indicated, spring operated means for injecting air into saidpressure-conveying means,` a manually operable device to adjust saidairinjecting means for operation by its spring, and means regulating theloW of air into `said pressure conveyingmeans comprising a valve'chamber, a valve member reciprocably contained Within said chamber andhaving a guide portion slidable in said chamber, said guide portionhaving an air passage permitting lovv of air through said .chamber pastsaid guide, and a resilient member pressing-'on said valve member to-cause said valve member to tend to move axially.

4. A liquid-level indicating 4system comprising in combination: apressure-responsive indicating device, pressure-conveying meanssubjecting said device to the pressurehead of the'liduid Whose level isto be indicated, means for injecting air into said pressure-conveyingmeans, and said injecting means comprising a casing containing amanually operable member, a resilient mem-r ber and a pistn member, saidmanually'- op- .erablegnidember having provision for compressing saidresilient member and the expansion of said resilient member operatingsaid piston member for the injection of air thereby, said piston andmanually operable member being cooperatively arranged to preventactionof'themanually operable member causing an air injection action bysaid i 5..A liquid-level indicating system comprising in combination: apressure-responsive indicating device,l pressure-conveying.'

means subjecting said device' to the pressurehead` of the liquid Whoselevel is Ato 'be indi- .I

cated, means for injecting air into said pressure-conveying means, andsaidv injecting means comprising al casing containin a manually operablerod, a spring mem er,

anda piston cooperatively connected to -saidf rod and spring member s'oas to be movable in onlyonel direction bythe movement of said rod andmovable in the other direction under the pressure of said spring member.

6. A .liquid-level indicating system comprising in combination: apressure-respon-` sive indicating device, a pressure-conveyingconnectionsubjecting said device to the pressure-head'ofthe liquidvvhoselevel is to be indicated, meansfor injecting air into said.

connection, said means comprising' a barrel containing a manuallyoperable member, a resilient member and a reciprocable piston member,said piston member -cooperatively connected 'to said .manually operablemember and to said resilient member to be-movable in only one directionby said manually operable member and to be movable inthe other directionbythe force of said resilientmember, and means regulating lthe flow ofair into said connection, said means compris- Aing a valve chamber, avalve member reciprocally contained in said chamber and having a guideportion slidable in said chamber, said guide portion having an airpassage permitting flow of air through saidv chamber past said guide,said valve member having two valve closing surfaces, a resilient memlber arranged to normally hold said valve member with one of said closingsurfaces in valve closing position and said first named resilient memberand piston member arranged to overcome said second named resilientmember and hold said valve member With the other of said closingsurfaces in valve closing position when said irst named resilient memberis inl its fully eX- panded position.

7. A liquid-level indicating system comprising in combination: apressure-responsive vindicating device, pressure-conveying meanssubjecting said device to the pressure- \head ofthe liquid whose levelis to be indicated, and means for injecting air into saidpressure-conveying means,` Said injecting s means comprising an enery-storing means, manually operable means or actuating said4energy-storing.means, means operated by said energy-storing means butnot by said manually operable means for building up air pressure, means-for transmitting air 1 under pressure from said third mentioned means,and pressure-responsive means for controlling the transmission of air bysaid transmission means.

8. A liquiddevel indicating system comprising in combination: apressure-responsive indicating device, pressure-conveying meanssubjecting said device to the pressurehead of the liquid Whose level isto be indicated, and means for injecting air into saidpressure-conveying means, said mjecting `means comprising a pumpincluding a piston, a manually operable device for moving said piston inone direction but inoperableto move said piston in the oppositedirection, and resilient means compressed by movement of said manuallyoperable device sure-conveying means, said air injecting means includinga piston and a spring, saidy spring adapted to press upon and move saidpiston for injection .of air, and.l means to prevent flow of air fromsaid pressure conveying means to said pressure injecting means when thelattermeans is not being operated, saidflow preventing means coni- Iprising a valve adaptedy to be held closed by sive indicating -device,

the pressure of the aforesaid spring when said piston is at the end'ofits air injecting movement.

v10. A liquid-level indicating system comprising. in combination: apressure-responpressure-coiiveying means subjecting said device to thepressure-.1

head of the liquid Whose level is to be indicated, means for injectingair into saidpressure-conveying means, said air-v injecting meansincluding a piston, manually operable device for moving said piston inone direction but inoperable to move said piston in the oppositedirection, and resilient means compressed by movement of said manuallyoperable device for moving said pistonin a direction opposite to saidfirst named direction; and means to prevent flow of air from saidpressure conveying means to said air injecting means, said flow -prventing means including a valve adapted to be held closedl by thepressure of said resilientpmeans when said piston is moved to itsextreme position in the above second named direction.

l1. A liquid-level indicating system coinprising in combination:pressure-responsive indicating device, pressure-conveying meanssubjecting said device to the pressure-` liead of the liquid Whose levelis t0 be indicated, means for injecting air into said pressure-conveyingmeans, said air injection means including a piston and a spring, saidspring adapted'to press upon and move said piston for injection of air,means preventing How of air from said pressure-conveying means t-o saidair injection means when sai'd piston is'at the end of its air injectingmovement, said fiow preventing means including a valve adapted to beheld closed by said spring-pressed piston.

Signed at Brooklyn, in tlie county of Kings and State of New York, this20th day. of October A. D. 1924.

MORRIS M. TITTERINGTON.

